Bob Tooms Dunfield, age 87, of Frisco, Texas, passed away on Thursday, November 9, 2023. He was born on May 10, 1936, in Dallas, Texas, to Faye Marie (Whitley) and Robert Tooms DePriest. In 1937, Bob’s parents divorced, and his bio-dad was subsequently married and divorced several times. On December 28, 1939, Bob’s mother married Ernest Frank Dunfield in Durant, Oklahoma.
In 1941, Bob attended Kindergarten in Los Angeles, California, then Mesquite, Texas school, Frisco, then back to Mesquite. In 1947-48 it was his wheat harvest years from Frisco to Montana. In 1949-50, Bob worked for J.W. Christie Pipeline and his parents’ café, The Frisco Café. In 1952, he started building a barn on Grandma Whitley’s farm for his uncle Earl Miller. He graduated in 1955 from Frisco High School then attended the University of Oklahoma following the court proceedings of being legally adopted by his stepfather. Bob also attended SMU, University of Wyoming, and Collin County Community College. In 1955, he joined the University of Oklahoma Air Force ROTC, his only military experience.
Bob and Ada Ann Sonntag eloped on February 12, 1956, in Durant, Oklahoma, officiated by a Baptist minister. They had a fake church wedding later to satisfy her mother, Frances Sonntag. Their first son, Billy Bob, was born in 1958. Then they built a home on the old Howard Home Place that he purchased from his father. Tommy Joe was born in 1962. Bob was initiated into the Lebanon Masonic Lodge, attained his 32 degree of the Scottish Rite Mason, passed through the hot sand of Hella Temple Shrine, initiated into the Easter Star chapter of Frisco. He rode his last bucking bull in 1966. In 1968, Bob was elected to Union Executive Board, resigning in 1983 as Financial Secretary of Transport Workers Union.
Bob and Ann’s house burned down in 1968, and they were grateful to receive help from Masonic Lodge and Eastern Star. He was elected Worshipful Master of Lebanon Lodge, then Worthy Patron of Frisco Eastern Star which was the first of eleven terms. In 1970, Bob was appointed to the first of several Grand Chapter appointments. He was then elected Cub-Master for several years of Frisco Cub Scouts, later Scout Master. Also in 1970, he received his first lobbying assignment of Senator Ralph Yarbrough in Washington, D.C. In 1973, he was elected president of Metroplex Rabbit Breeders Assoc. then Texas Rex Rabbit Breeders. He lobbied United States Representatives Ray Roberts and Lloyd Dagget for the Transport Workers Union in 1975. Also, his parent’s house burned down.
Granddaughters blessed their lives, Deana Dawn and Bobbie Joann, as well as a grandson, Cody. Sadly, Bob’s daughter-in-law, Kimberly Anne Dunfield, was killed in 1985 in a single car accident at only twenty-four years old. Then in 1987, Bob’s wife, Ann, and two friends were killed in a car accident at only forty-nine years old. Both are buried at Bethel Cemetery (Ridgeview West Memorial Park) in Frisco.
Bob retired from American Airlines in 1987 after thirty years and moved in with his significant other and hunting partner, Sue Robertson Duncan. They had a great time for thirteen years until she died of cancer. Eventually, Bob was blessed with many great-grandchildren.
Bob is survived by his sons, Billy Bob Dunfield and his wife, Maxine, and Joe Dunfield; his granddaughters, Deana Dawn (Dunfield) Landers and her husband Ryan, and B.J. (Dunfield) Dalton and her partner Holly Dalton; grandson, Cody Almand; many great-grandchildren; as well as numerous cousins, aunts, and uncles.
He is preceded in death by his parents, his beloved wife, Ann Dunfield, his significant other, Sue Robertson, and his daughter-in-law, Kimberly Dunfield.
The family invites you to a visitation at Turrentine-Jackson-Morrow, 8520 Main Street, Frisco, Texas, on Monday, November 13, 2023, from 6:00-8:00 p.m. Graveside Service will be held on Tuesday, November 14, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. at Ridgeview West Memorial Park, 7800 Sanctuary Drive, Frisco, Texas.